[Windows Phone 7 General] stan2:
If you tried to add a new contact number from the call history, then you would know the simple task of saving a contact number is very frustrating. Maybe the windows phone team was busy making an entertainment device and forgot that people actually use their smart-phone to do phone thing. To demonstrate, let go through the step of adding a contact and find out if your hair will turn gray during the process. Here we go.

On the call history, users can touch the unsaved contact number (I use a fake btw) and they’ll be presented with its profile and history. To save the number to a new contact, just touch that floppy disk button to save. No sweat, lets move on to screen 3.

“Uhhh, wait what’s going on here? I just need to save the number for cutie Jane. What’s all this crazy choose a contact stuff?”

That was the though when I first encountered this “choose a contact” screen. The confusion was that I just want to add a new contact, not “choosing” some contact. The cryptic “+” button eventually gave way, but I was on that screen longer than I should. New users will be confused and that’s the first usability issue that doesn’t need to be there. Lets go on to screen 4.

“Huh!? why do I need to edit phone number? Where can I enter the first and last name for Jane? WTFWP7!”

By this step the users just want to enter the name of their contact and be done with. This screen by all means is unnecessary. The contact number just came straight from call history, there is no need to edit unless you manually add a new contact from the people hub. Let move on to screen 5 and see if we can enter the name for Jane yet.

“I still can’t enter the name for Jane yet!!???? FFFFFFUUUUUUUUU ”

Inputting the name, if not earlier, should be shown at this step. But instead the users are presented with this summary information. Screen 5 shows the summary of all the information of the contact and the users can edit or additional information. This screen should be logically shown last. Raged level 100%.

Finally after 7 screens, the users can enter the contact and be done. It’s unfortunately 7 screens too many, the users are left provoked. There has got to be a better way to do this.

I propose steps reduction

On screen 3, the new contact option stands out at the top making it easier for people to figure out what to do as far as saving a new contact or merging it to existing contact are concerned. On screen 4, basic information like name, phone, and email are available for users to easily edit. The phone text box are pre-filled. This concept reduced two screen steps and it’s much more user friendly I think.

Further steps reduction will eliminate the screen 3 altogether. Follow below.

When the users decide to save the phone number from screen 2, they will immediately be shown the edit information screen where they can edit and save a new contact profile. If the users want to merge the phone number to an existing contact, the link button on the appbar is available. The link button will open up the contact list and allow the users to select the correct contact they want to link the new number to.

I think concept 2 significantly speed up the simple task of saving a contact and therefore also decrease frustration. Belfiore, please do this.

For now, people will still have to keep on wrestling with the ridiculously strenuous task of saving new phone numbers.

posted at: http://thucnhan.wordpress.com

New year so I decided to start blogging about windows phone. Going to write about rethinking ads display for windows phone and tiles soon.